Bach: Ach Gott, Wie Manches Herzeleid Dialog Kantaten

Dominik Wörner, a prizewinner at the Bach International Competition in Leipzig in 2002, established the Kirchheimer BachConsort in 2008. Its members, leading musicians from the early music scene, perform as an ensemble of soloists in programs focusing on the repertoire of the eighteenth century. On this brand-new CD release Wörner leads his ensemble and the Czech soprano and harpist Hana Blažiková in interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach’s dialogue cantatas.

Another entry in Harmonia Mundi's ongoing Bach Edition, this recording from 1993 exemplifies both the consistently high standard of performance we've come to expect from Philippe Herreweghe and his Collegium Vocale and the astonishing musical variety and emotional/spiritual depth of Bach's vocal works. As usual in this series, the program reflects a theme, in this case the feast of Ascension, for which Bach wrote what proved to be his final oratorio (improperly catalogued as a cantata in the original edition of Bach's works) and at least three cantatas. The oratorio contains both original music and, as has recently been shown, several movements taken from cantatas no longer extant. It's a compelling and inexplicably underperformed work, far shorter than Bach's other oratorios, complete with some terrific orchestral music, two wonderful festive choruses, a tenor Evangelist narrator, a charming little duet for tenor and bass, and arias for soprano and alto.